


did you just...

by catonthefence



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-14
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-05-20 07:21:44
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5996682
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/catonthefence/pseuds/catonthefence
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy Lewis has heard and seen a lot of weird things ever since she started working as the operations and liaison supervisor for Stark industry's R&D sector and it's elite security division: Avengers. She is one of the few who speaks fluent English and Science!. The woman who single handedly stands to stop the eminent war that's always brewing between two of SI's most talented and highly dangerous groups.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. slip of a tongue

Darcy Lewis has heard and seen a lot of weird things ever since she started working as the operations and liaison supervisor for Stark industry's R&D sector and it's elite security division: Avengers. She is one of the few who speaks fluent English and Science!. The woman who single handedly stands to stop the eminent war that's always brewing between two of SI's most talented and highly dangerous groups. It is a very demanding job and some days she feels like a teacher in a daycare. Though at the end of the day, the unique experience is worth it. She'll do anything for her found family. They're always worth it.

One of the things that make her less wanting to choke them and more to cuddle them to death are the phone-sniping. Conversations that usually sound hostile but tend to swerve to entirely unexpected paths. 

Today, the current source of her entertainment is the head of R&D's bionics and artillery department, retired Seargent James Buchanan Barnes, who was pacing behind his solid mahogany desk like a stalking puma. Have you ever heard someone explaining to their not-housework-savvy significant other why you don't mix whites and coloreds or that when hot-washed, some fabrics shrink or that too much detergent or bleach can burn through light fabrics? That's kinda what he sounds like. Only with more grunting and growling. Given the way he keeps on alternately running his flesh hand through his hair and trying not to crush the phone handset with his "state-of-the-art; one-of-a-kind; top-of-the-line" prosthetic which Tony Stark himself had collaborated into making and dubbed "our brain baby"; the other person at the end of the line must be retired Captain Steven Grant Rogers. It's very common to find the two glowering at each other whenever they're within the same area so hearing them argue over the phone was considered a more tame interaction to experience. Although it is also very much common to hear them gripe about the other on their respective break rooms. It's easy to remember the consultation schedule between Bio-Art and Planning and Tactics when you hear the very loud aftermath all the time. 

"I swear, I can hear the stitches on his shirt scream! Can't he afford shirts that actually fit!? Or dress uniforms that don't seem like they're painted on?? One of these days, we'll all be haunted by ghosts of UnderArmor aparrell and slacks!"

"I'm pretty sure half-naked is not listed under work-appropriate attire in the employee manual. Idon't care if he has a metal arm, he works with flammables and explosives for goodness' sake!"

Darcy swears if she hears anymore complaining she'll lock them in a closet for her sanity's sake.  
At the moment, she just sat and patiently waited for the current argument to reach it's inevitable explosive end. She skims through the documents she needed James to sign when a growling hiss cut through her thoughts. 

"I told you, that's not gonna-" 

James looked like he wanted to start banging his head to the table when Steve cut him off, he must have raised his voice too if Darcy could almost make out his words. To her surprise, James sat heavily down his own chair and ran his hand through his hair once more.

"Fine. I'll meet you at the range tomorrow to test that theory." he paused and Darcy could hear Steve's muted but obviously insistent reply.

"I said fine. Love you, bye." 

He then hung up the phone and buried his face on his hands. Darcy stared slacked jaw at him when he suddenly raised his head and looked back at her with a look of utter shock. The color of his face draining as his brain finally caught up with his mouth. Darcy's pealing laughter could be heard all the way down the hall that day, making even the most dedicated look up from their Science!ing and wonder.


	2. Straight tie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Where Darcy has a party... who the heck is Claire? And presenting the _"Musical! Barton"_

It has been a very trying day. No, scratch that. It's been a trying week. Tony managed to cause another explosion on the fabrication section of the robotics lab 3 days ago and it has been in ruins/renovation since. 

 

_"This is why sleep is a Lab requirement,Tony. So we don't mistake coffee with machine oil! "  
"In my defense it did look like machine oil. " _

 

SI got a new coffee supplier that week to replace the sludge in the break room that Tony called "crime against humanity". Event of the week though was Bruce accidentally setting fire to the liquid cultures in the bio lab. As per Parker the wonder squint, _"Everything was fine then we heard a knock on the observation window. We both looked to see Ms. Romanov from Intel waving at Dr. Banner and the next thing I know the whole table was in flames."_ Peter, who memorized everything on that table, couldn't fathom how it happened and when asked, Bruce would only turn beet red mumble an excuse and walk away. 

 

And speaking of Peter, if Darcy would need to break up another confrontation between him and Wade, she swears there will be blood involved. Well, more than usual atleast. Peter, for someone so docile and sweet, can be terrifying. She can't decide whether to applaud or choke Wade for being able to pull such explosive reactions from the other man. 

 

In short order, Darcy needs a break and a drink. Hell, everybody does. So as adviced by the ever wise Ms. Potts, Darcy threw a company wide acquaintance party. Attendance is mandatory. As an additional reinforcement for the antisocial factions of the company she added to the e-mail she sent out that Failure to attend would lead to one's Laboratory and Training range access to be suspended. Needless to say, even R&D and Avengers sector attended. She had to break up a couple of intense discussions _cough arguments cough_ but with Barnes and Rogers playing hide and sneak around each other after the phone call debacle, it's turning into a fine lazy evening. Everyone's enjoying themselves and Darcy was on the open bar enjoying a drink with her buddy Clint, an Avenger specialist and part-time volunteer testing technician for R &D. He keeps on humming while staring at the far end of the room where Tony and Loki _"In heaven's name Stark, my name is Lockley!"_ are having another debate. She knows Barton's two drinks passed drunk when he starts humming and that she should stop him before he starts singing but he seemed broody these past few days and honestly she's stuck on trying to guess the song. When he does start singing though, Darcy almost snorted the screwdriver she'd been nursing.

_I can see it happening/ and they don't have a clue._  
They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line/ our trio's down to two.  
The sweet carress of twilight/ there's magic in the air.   
And with all this romantic atmosphere/ disaster's in the air! 

Clint shot up his stool on the last note, both arms in the air in a fed up gesture and Darcy had to catch him before he faceplanted on the floor when his chair wobbled. "Tasha! Your brother's sloshed." she called to his twin. Clint had an arm over her shoulders as they waited for Natasha who was approaching with a fond little smile on her face and her colleague Phil Coulson close behind. Clint continued to sing in an almost heartbreaking tune. His soulful voice carrying over the low chatter of the party.

 

_And if he falls inlove tonight/ it can be assumed  
His carefree days with us is history/ in short our pal is doomed! _

He finished his song with another wide arm gesture that sent him toppling from Darcy's hold, almost right into his sister who dodged gracefully, right into the arms of Coulson who was staring at the hysterically laughing and babbling man with wide eyes. 

Natasha cleared her throat for the nth time tonight while talking to Phil. The man had been spending most of the party stealing longing looks and making eyes at her brother when he thought no one was looking. Don't get her wrong, she has a lot of respect for the man. I mean, how could you not respect someone who took a machete to the gut but still managed to finish his mission and get his team out? But if she had to spend the rest of this night listening to him sigh wistfully then endure what is sure to be another long drunk rambling from her brother waxing poetics about the man, his "soothing cool blue eyes and perfect ass", things will happen. Unpleasant things. They picked up on their conversation, again, when she heard the unmistakeable croon of her brother's voice. If it wasn't slightly pathetic how Phil's head whipped to where Darcy was now trying to keep Clint from getting acquainted with the floor, Natasha would've thought the action cute, Like a corgi hearing the crackle of a bag of treats. But Natasha has had enough. Clint singing means the man has managed to get himself plastered, again, because he was too absorbed on thinking negative Phil-related thoughts to manage his intakes. This short-distance mooning and pining from her two morons has got to stop.

 

 At Darcy's call, Natasha started making her way to pick up her brother when an idea struck her. _Mightas well give it a try. As we all know, drunk ramblings are thoughts unfiltered._ She gestured for Phil to follow her. If this doesn't help even a little she was gonna lock them in a broom closet as a last ditch desperate measure.

Phil was in trouble. No he was majorly fucked. He had been restarting this conversation with Natasha for several times tonight and he had honestly forgotten his point after the 2nd time Clint's melodic laugh echoed across the room. Oh no, Natasha's giving him The Look again. Quick! What was my point? Oh right! "Budget is never the issue here in SI, Tasha. But that doesn't mean we should never take it into co-"

 

  _Clint was singing? Was that his voice?? Yup. Definitely. Darcy says he hums. I thought she was kidding when she said that!!_

 

Natasha gave an almost inaudible sigh. She was motioning Phil to follow as she gracefully wound her way to where Clint was belting out a doctored version of "Can you feel the love tonight" that really seem familiar. One moment, he was watching Clint giving one heck of a performance. Next thing he knew, he had the man in his arms, looking up at him with glazed eyes and an almost disbelieving smile on his lips. When Clint opened his mouth, the world seems to still. 

Everyone's attention was caught by the sound of bodies landing on the floor with a thump. Curious onlookers watched as a babbling Clint continued to muss up an already dishiveled-looking Phil Coulson. If you listened close enough, you could just make out Clint's put upon complaints of how Phil's suit was always so straight, as was his hair and tie. Natasha's coaxing voice could be heard as well,   _"Come on, little bird. Let Phil up and we'll get you home."_ to which he replied; _"Hawks are giant fucking birds, Tasha. Not little anymore"_ He stopped his quest ofgetting Phil's tie as lopsided as possible in favor of staring at the face of the man who's lap he was now practically occupying. Phil's eyes seem to grow wider by the second when Clint continued talking with a pout while smoothing his hands on Phil's lapels. _"Why do you have to be so fucking straight? Speaking of fucking, If I start calling myself Claire, will you take friday evening off being straight and go on a date with me?"_ He wound his arms around a very stunned and very flushed Phil and proceeded to doze off. 

Clint groaned pitifully into his pillow. His throat is dry as hell and there's a marching band having a concert in his head. He tried to remember the night's events as he trudged to where he could hear Natasha puttering in the kitchen. "Still haven't let go, i see." She said with a fond look and motioned to the tie in his hand and it all came rushing back. Clint covered his face with his free hand and groaned. Tash was not letting him live this down. "He said, i mean, stuttered yes by the way." she said with a small chuckle that was practically a belly laugh for his sister. Clint groaned again. At least he said yes...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Been forever, i know.. but life kinda decided that getting used to living alone is not enough and decided to take me by the hair and yank me around, so, yeah.. i'm working on a few more but it's taking some work to get the words down..   
> Anyway, let me know what you think.. kudos and feedback feed the bunnies so please feel free.

**Author's Note:**

> My first go 'round this rodeo so per clichè, "Please be gentle." 
> 
> Kidding aside though, tell me what you think..
> 
> ♡♡♡
> 
> P.S. not beta-ed, did this on my phone, all mistakes are mine and if you see any, feel free to let me know and I'll fix it.


End file.
